WA's Prosser, Kadlec hospitals to share patient record database

Doctors in Richland will soon be able to quickly see medical records of patients from Prosser, cutting down on redundant tests, phone calls and delays. So promised officials from PMH Medical Center and Kadlec Regional Medical Center at a public announcement of a partnership between the two hospitals. The arrangement should have happened sooner, said Julie Petersen, CEO of PMH, formerly known as Prosser Memorial Hospital. "It's what the patient thinks is already happening," Petersen said. "They're puzzled when we're still faxing things back and forth." The partnership is a nonbinding agreement that could pave the way for more alliances down the road, including sending Kadlec specialists to practice a day or two a week in Prosser clinics. It's not a merger or even a precursor to one, officials said.